Disk holder

ABSTRACT

In some embodiments, a disk holder may include a substrate with one or more channels positioned on a top surface of the substrate, one or more longitudinal members, and/or one or more latitudinal members. A substrate may be flexible. A channel may include one or more insertion sections, tapered sections, and/or gripping sections. An insertion section may facilitate insertion of a disk into a channel. A tapered section of a channel may facilitate insertion of a disk into a gripping section. A gripping section of a channel may frictionally retain a disk placed in a channel. A longitudinal member and/or a latitudinal member may inhibit deformation of the substrate. In an embodiment, a substrate may allow creation of an additional space between disks placed in channels so that top surfaces of the disks may be viewed.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a system for storing disks. Moreparticularly, the invention relates to a disk holder.

2. Description of Related Art

Disks are used to store music, movies, and other types of data. Thejewel cases that often hold disks are often fragile and cumbersome tomanage. Users may prefer storing frequently used disks without theirjewel cases. However, many of the currently available disk holdersobstruct viewing many of the disks and/or some may damage a disk. U.S.Pat. No. 6,758,346 to Kollegian; U.S. Pat. No. 6,547,066 to Koch; U.S.Pat. No. 5,740,907 to McCloy; U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,893 to Smith; U.S.Design Patent No. D470,001 to Munroe, II; and U.S. Design Patent No.D435,189 to Mok describe some disk holders. Despite these holders, thereis still a need for a disk holder that is compact, durable, stylish,protective, and allows quick and easy viewing/user access due to thetight construction and flexible rubber composition of the disk holder.

SUMMARY

In various embodiments, one or more disks may be placed in a diskholder. A disk may be perpendicularly placed in the disk holder. A diskholder may include a substrate. The substrate may include one or morechannels in a top surface of the substrate. A width of a bottom portionof a channel may be substantially less than a width of a top portion ofthe channel. A channel may include one or more gripping sections thatfrictionally retain a side edge region of a disk that resides in achannel. In an embodiment, a channel may include at least one insertionsection and/or one tapered section coupled to one or more grippingsections of a channel. The insertion section may have a width greaterthan a width of a disk to facilitate insertion of a disk into a channel.

In some embodiments, the disk holder may include one or morelongitudinal members and/or latitudinal members. A longitudinal membermay inhibit deformation of the substrate along a longitudinal axis ofthe substrate. A latitudinal member may inhibit deformation of thesubstrate along a latitudinal axis of the substrate. In an embodiment,one or more longitudinal members and/or latitudinal members may bepositioned on a bottom surface of the substrate. A longitudinal membermay be coupled to a channel. A latitudinal member may be coupled to alongitudinal member.

In some embodiments, the disk holder may be formed from a flexiblesubstrate. The disk holder may allow the creation of an additional spacebetween disks placed in the channels. The additional space may allow topsurfaces of the disks to be viewed while the channels frictionally gripthe disks. In an embodiment, a user may be able to create an additionalspace between disks perpendicularly placed in channels to view the topsurfaces of disks. A channel may be deformed to allow the top surface ofa disk to be viewed. In an embodiment, the disks placed in the channelsmay be partially bent to view top surfaces of disks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Features and advantages of the methods and apparatus of the presentinvention will be more fully appreciated by reference to the followingdetailed description of presently preferred but nonetheless illustrativeembodiments in accordance with the present invention when taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1A depicts a disk in a channel of an embodiment of a disk holder;

FIG. 1B depicts a top perspective view of an embodiment of a diskholder;

FIG. 2 depicts an embodiment of a disk;

FIG. 3 depicts a front or back view of an embodiment of a disk holder;

FIG. 4 depicts a top view of an embodiment of a disk holder;

FIG. 5 depicts a cross-sectional view of a portion of an embodiment of adisk holder;

FIG. 6 depicts a bottom view of an embodiment of a disk holder; and

FIG. 7 depicts a side view of an embodiment of a disk holder.

While the invention is susceptible to various modifications andalternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way ofexample in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. Thedrawings may not be to scale. It should be understood that the drawingsand detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the inventionto the particular form disclosed, but to the contrary, the intention isto cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling withinthe spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appendedclaims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In various embodiments, a disk holder 100 may hold disks 200 such as,optical disks including laser disks, compact disks, DVDs, data disks,and/or mini disks. FIGS. 1A-B depict embodiments of disk holders. Insome embodiments, a disk holder 100 may include a substrate 300 with oneor more channels 400, one or more longitudinal members, and/or one ormore latitudinal members. A substrate 300 may be flexible. A channel 400may include one or more gripping sections 500, insertion sections 600,and/or tapered sections 700. Longitudinal members and/or latitudinalmembers may inhibit deformation of a substrate 300. A substrate 300 mayallow creation of an additional space between disks 200 placed inchannels 400 so that top surfaces 250 of the disks can be viewed whilethe channels frictionally grip the disks.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used hereinhave the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill inthe art. In the context of this application, the following terms aredefined as:

“Frictionally grip” refers to holding at least two materials in contactwith each other by friction. A frictional grip may be released byapplying a force greater than the frictional force between two objects.

A “side edge region of a disk” refers to an outer side and a region oftop and bottom surfaces of the disk proximate to the outer side (seee.g., FIG. 2, which shows the outer side 225, the top surface 250, andthe bottom surface 275 of the disk 200).

In some embodiments, a disk holder 100 is formed from a substrate 300. Asubstrate may be composed of plastic, metal, wood or mixtures thereof.

A substrate may be formed of a flexible plastic material. In anembodiment, a substrate may be formed of a deformable and/or an elasticmaterial. Using a flexible material to form substrate 300 may alsoinhibit damaging disk 200 (e.g., by scratching a readable portion of adisk).

A top surface 250 of a disk 200 may include information such as title,artist name, and/or graphics. A user may use the information on a topsurface 250 of a disk 200 to determine the identity of the disk. It maybe desirable to form a substrate 300 from a flexible material so that achannel 400 may be deformed to create an additional space between disks200 placed in channels so that top surfaces 250 of the disks may beviewed. The additional space may allow top surfaces of the disks to beviewed while the channels frictionally grip the disks. In an embodiment,the disks placed in the channels may be partially bent to view topsurfaces of disks.

A substrate may be positioned horizontally (e.g., positioned on a tableor desk), vertically (e.g., coupled to a wall, bookcase, or shelf), orat an angle. In an embodiment, a disk holder may be designed so thatdisks can be perpendicularly placed in the disk holder (see e.g., FIG.1, which shows a disk perpendicularly placed in an embodiment of a diskholder). A disk perpendicularly placed disk in a disk holder may form anangle of approximately 90 degrees with the top surface of a substrate.In an embodiment, disks may be perpendicularly placed in a substrateirregardless of the orientation of the substrate. For example, a diskmay form an approximately 90 degree angle with the top surface of asubstrate mounted on a wall.

In some embodiments, a substrate may be one piece. Sections of thesubstrate may be machined and/or etched into a one-piece substrate. Inanother embodiment, the substrate may be molded. For example, thesubstrate may be injection and/or compression molded. The substrate maybe cast in a desired shape. Molding and/or casting the substrate mayreduce waste and/or necessary material costs. Molding and/or casting thesubstrate may also facilitate production of the substrate sincechannels, longitudinal members, and/or latitudinal members would notneed to be etched and/or carved out of a substrate.

FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 4 depict embodiments of top surfaces 900 of substrates300 of disk holders 100 that are curved 1000. A top surface 900 of asubstrate 300 may have a curvature 1000 that is approximately the sameas the curvature of a disk 200.

FIG. 4 depicts an embodiment of a top view of a disk holder 100. In someembodiments, channels 400 may be approximately evenly spaced across atleast a portion of a top surface 900 of a substrate 300. A substrate 300may include a number, n, of channels 400 positioned on a length 1100, l,of a top surface 900 of the substrate. Length 1100, l, of substrate 300,in inches, may be related to the number, n, of channels 400 according tothe following formula:l≦1.5+n/3

In some embodiments, a substrate 300 may have a width 1200 ofapproximately 3 inches to approximately 4 inches. A substrate 300 mayhave a length 1100 less than 8 inches. A length 1100 of a substrate 300may be from approximately 6 inches to approximately 7 inches and/orinclude at least 20 channels 400. A substrate 300 may have a length 1100of approximately 3 to 5 inches and/or include at least 10 channels 400.

In certain embodiments, a substrate 300 may include at least threechannels 400 per inch. A substrate 300 may include three to fourchannels 400 per inch. A substrate 300 may not have channels 400 on aportion of a top surface 900 of a substrate. For example, anapproximately 6.5 inch to 7 inch substrate may include 20 channels onapproximately 5.25 inches to approximately 6 inches of a top surface ofthe substrate. An approximately 3.5 to 4.5 inch substrate may includeten channels on approximately 2.5 inches to approximately 2.9 inches ofa top surface of a substrate.

In some embodiments, one or more channels 400 may be positioned in or ona top surface 900 of substrate 300 of a disk holder 100. A channel 400may be a groove formed in a substrate. A channel 400 may have a length1300 of approximately 2 inches to approximately 3 inches. In anembodiment, a channel 400 may have a length 1300 of approximately 2.4inches to approximately 2.6 inches.

A width 1400 of at least a portion of a channel 400 may be greaterproximate a top portion of the channel than at a bottom portion of thechannel. A width 1400 of at least a portion of a channel 400 may be atleast greater than a width of a disk. In an embodiment, a width 1400 ofat least a portion of a channel 400 may be at least greater than twicethe width of a disk. Insertion of a disk into channel 400 may befacilitated when a width 1400 of at least a portion of channel isgreater than the width of a disk. For example, a width of at least a topportion of a channel may be approximately 0.1 inch to approximately 0.2inch. A width of at least a bottom portion of a channel may beapproximately 0.06 inch to approximately 0.07 inch.

A channel 400 may be substantially planar or may be curved. In anembodiment, a channel 400 may define a curvature that is approximatelythe same as the curvature of a round object (e.g. a disk). A channel 400may have a curvature similar to the curvature of a round object and/or acurvature of the substrate 300, see FIGS. 1B and 3.

In some embodiments, a channel 400 may include one or more grippingsections 500, see FIGS. 1A, 1B, 4, and 5. A gripping section 500 may bepositioned at an end and/or the bottom of a channel 400. A channel 400may have a gripping section 500 positioned at each end of the channel.In an embodiment, a gripping section 500 may frictionally retain atleast one side edge region of a disk 200 that is placed in a channel. Agripping section 500 may be configured to release a side edge region ofa disk 200 placed in a channel 400 when a force greater than frictionalforce between the gripping section and the disk is applied to the disk.For example, a user may position a disk 200 in a channel 400. Thegripping section 500 of a channel 400 may frictionally retain disk 200until the user applies a force to the disk that is greater than thefrictional force retaining the disk in the channel.

In some embodiments, a width of a gripping section may be designed to becapable of frictionally retaining a disk. A gripping section may have awidth of approximately 0.05 inch to approximately 0.08 inch. In anembodiment, a gripping section may have a width that is approximately0.01 inch to approximately 0.03 inch less than the width of a disk. Agripping section may have a width that is approximately 0.01 inch toapproximately 0.03 inch greater than the width of a disk. A grippingsection may have a width approximately the same as a width of a disk.

In certain embodiments, a channel 400 may include three grippingsections 500. One or more of the gripping sections 500 may be coupled toeach other. Two gripping sections 500 may be positioned proximate or atends of a channel 400, see FIG. 4. One gripping section 500 may bepositioned proximate or at a bottom portion of a channel 400, see FIG.5. In an embodiment, gripping sections at an end of a channel may have alength of approximately 0.15 inch to approximately 0.2 inch. A grippingsection proximate a bottom portion of a channel may have a length ofapproximately 1.8 inches to approximately 1.95 inches.

In some embodiments, one or more insertion sections 600 may be coupledto a gripping section 500, as depicted in FIGS. 1A, 1B, 4, and 5. Aninsertion section 600 may facilitate insertion of a disk 200 into achannel 400. An insertion section may have a length of approximately 1.8inches to approximately 1.95 inches. An insertion section 600 may bepositioned between gripping sections 500 positioned at each end of achannel 400. An insertion section 600 may be positioned above a grippingsection 500 proximate a bottom portion of a channel 400, see FIG. 5.

In an embodiment, a width of an insertion section may vary. A width ofan insertion section may have a width greater proximate or at the topportion of the channel than at the bottom portion of the channel. Awidth of at least a portion of an insertion section may be at leasttwice the width of a disk. Utilizing an insertion section with a widthgreater than the width of a disk may facilitate insertion of the diskand/or inhibit damaging the disk.

In some embodiments, a disk holder 100 may include one or more taperedsections 700, FIGS. 1A, 1B, 4, and 5. A tapered section 700 may bepositioned between a gripping section 500 and an insertion section 600.A tapered section may have a length of approximately 0.1 inch to 0.15inch. In an embodiment, a width of a gripping section 500 may be lessthan a width of an insertion section 600, and a tapered section 700 maytaper between the gripping section and the insertion section.

A tapered section may facilitate placement of a disk in a channel. In anembodiment, a tapered section may facilitate insertion of disk in thegripping section of a channel by providing a tapered connection betweenthe insertion section and the gripping section such that a disk may beguided into the gripping section.

Utilizing a tapered section between gripping sections and insertionsections may reduce the tendency of a disk placed in a channel to bescratched during insertion. In an embodiment, edges between grippingsections, tapered sections, and/or insertion sections may be at leastpartially rounded to decrease the likelihood of damage to a disk, suchas scratching, due to contact with the edges of the substrate.

In some embodiments, a portion of a bottom surface of a substrate 300may be planar 1600, see FIG. 3. Allowing at least a portion of thebottom surface of substrate 300 to be planar 1600 may increase thestability of a substrate positioned on a surface such as a desk top, atable, or a computer. At least a portion of a bottom surface of asubstrate 300 may be curved 1700. The curvature 1700 of at least aportion of a bottom surface of substrate 300 may be approximately thesame as the curvature of a disk. In an embodiment, a bottom surface ofsubstrate 300 may include a planar portion 1600 and curved portion 1700.A planar portion 1600 of the bottom surface of substrate 300 may extendfrom curved portion 1700 of the bottom surface of the substrate.

In some embodiments, a substrate 300 may include one or morelongitudinal members 1800 and/or one or more latitudinal members 1900positioned on a bottom surface of the substrate. FIGS. 6 and 7 depictlongitudinal 1800 and latitudinal members 1900 on a disk holder 100.Longitudinal members 1800 and/or latitudinal members 1900 may inhibitdeformation of a substrate 300. Utilizing longitudinal members 1800and/or latitudinal members 1900 may allow utilization of less materialto form substrate 300 with out substantially decreasing a substrate'sresistance to deformation.

A longitudinal member 1800 may be coupled to one or more sides 2000,2100 and a bottom surface of a substrate 300. A longitudinal member 1800may inhibit deformation of a substrate 300 along a longitudinal axis ofa substrate. A longitudinal member 1800 may be coupled to a channel 400.For example, a longitudinal member 1800 may couple to a channel 400 andextend along a length of a channel. In an embodiment, a substrate 300may include more longitudinal members 1800 than channels 400, toincrease the resistance of a substrate to longitudinal deformation. Forexample, a substrate 300 may include at least one longitudinal member1800 in a region of a substrate that does not include channels 400 toinhibit longitudinal deformation of the substrate in the region withoutchannels.

A latitudinal member 1900 may inhibit deformation of a substrate 300along a latitudinal axis of a substrate. A latitudinal member 1900 maybe coupled to one or more sides 2200, 2300 and/or a bottom surface of asubstrate 300. In certain embodiments, at least two latitudinal members1900 may be coupled to two or more longitudinal members 1800 to inhibitdeformation of a substrate 300. In an embodiment, at least one oflatitudinal members 1900 may form at least a portion of a planar portion1600 of a bottom surface of a substrate 300, see FIGS. 3 and 7.

It is to be understood that the terminology used herein is for thepurpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intendedto be limiting. As used in this specification, the singular forms “a”,“an” and “the” include plural referents unless the content clearlyindicates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a grippingsection” includes a combination of two or more gripping sections andreference to “a plastic” includes mixtures of plastics.

Certain U.S. patents have been incorporated by reference. The text ofsuch U.S. patents is, however, only incorporated by reference to theextent that no conflict exists between such text and the otherstatements and drawings set forth herein. In the event of such conflict,then any such conflicting text in such incorporated by reference U.S.patents is specifically not incorporated by reference in this patent.

Further modifications and alternative embodiments of various aspects ofthe invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view ofthis description. Accordingly, this description is to be construed asillustrative only and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled inthe art the general manner of carrying out the invention. It is to beunderstood that the forms of the invention shown and described hereinare to be taken as the presently preferred embodiments. Elements andmaterials may be substituted for those illustrated and described herein,parts and processes may be reversed, and certain features of theinvention may be utilized independently, all as would be apparent to oneskilled in the art after having the benefit of this description of theinvention. Changes may be made in the elements described herein withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as described in thefollowing claims.

1. A disk holder comprising: a substrate comprising a top surface; oneor more channels formed in the top surface of the substrate, wherein atleast one of the channels is wider at the top portion of the channelthan at a bottom portion of the channel, and such channel(s) comprise: agripping section at least on one end of the channel, wherein thegripping section is configured to frictionally retain a side edge regionof a disk that is placed in the channel; and an insertion sectioncoupled to the gripping section, wherein the insertion section comprisesa width greater than a width of a disk.
 2. The disk holder of claim 1,wherein the substrate comprises a curved upper surface and a curvedbottom surface. 3-5. (canceled)
 6. The disk holder of claim 1, whereinthe disk holder has 3 to 4 channels per inch of length of the substrate.7-8. (canceled)
 9. The disk holder of claim 1, wherein the disk holderhas at least 10 channels positioned on approximately 2.5 inches toapproximately 2.9 inches of the top surface of the substrate. 10.(canceled)
 11. The disk holder of claim 1, further comprising a grippingsection at least at each end of at least one of the channels.
 12. Thedisk holder of claim 1, further comprising a gripping section proximatethe bottom portion of at least one of the channels.
 13. The disk holderof claim 1, wherein the gripping section has a width less than or equalto the width of the disk.
 14. The disk holder of claim 1, wherein thegripping section is configured to release the side region of the diskplaced in the channel when a force greater than the frictional forcebetween the gripping section and the side region of the disk is appliedto the disk.
 15. (canceled)
 16. The disk holder of claim 1, wherein thegripping section is configured to frictionally retain a side edge regionof a disk that is perpendicularly placed in the channel.
 17. The diskholder of claim 1, wherein the insertion section comprises a widthgreater than twice the width of the disk. 18-23. (canceled)
 24. The diskholder of claim 1, wherein at least one of the channels is configured toinhibit scratching of a disk during creation of an additional spacebetween the disk and other disks perpendicularly placed in the channelssuch that a top surface of the disk can be viewed.
 25. (canceled) 26.The disk holder of claim 1, wherein the disk holder is configured toallow an array of disks placed in the channels to be partially bent suchthat top surfaces of the disks can be viewed while the disks arefrictionally gripped by the channels.
 27. (canceled)
 28. The disk holderof claim 1, wherein the disk holder is configured to allow disks to beperpendicularly placed in one or more of the channels.
 29. A disk holdercomprising: a substrate comprising a top surface; one or more channelsformed in the top surface of the substrate, wherein at least one of thechannels is configured to frictionally grip a side edge region of a diskthat is placed in the channel; and one or more longitudinal membersconfigured to inhibit deformation of the substrate along a longitudinalaxis of the substrate, wherein one or more of the longitudinal membersis positioned on a bottom surface of the substrate. 30-35. (canceled)36. The disk holder of claim 29, further comprising 10 or morelongitudinal members, wherein one or more of the longitudinal members iscoupled to at least one channel.
 37. (canceled)
 38. The disk holder ofclaim 29, further comprising one or more latitudinal members configuredto provide support to the substrate along a latitudinal axis of thesubstrate.
 39. The disk holder of claim 29, further comprising one ormore latitudinal members configured to provide support to the substratealong a latitudinal axis of the substrate, wherein at least one of thelatitudinal members is coupled to at least one of the longitudinalmembers. 40-41. (canceled)
 42. The disk holder of claim 29, wherein thedisk holder is configured to allow disks to be perpendicularly placed inone or more of the channels.
 43. A disk holder, comprising: a flexiblesubstrate comprising a top surface; one or more channels on the topsurface, at least one of the channels being configured to frictionallygrip a side edge region of a disk that is placed in the channel; andwherein the disk holder is configured to allow creation of an additionalspace between disks placed in the channels such that top surfaces of thedisks can be viewed while the disks are frictionally gripped by thechannels. 44-45. (canceled)
 46. The disk holder of claim 43, wherein oneor more of the channels are deformable such that an additional space maybe created between disks placed in channels, and wherein top surfaces ofthe disks can be viewed in the additional space.
 47. The disk holder ofclaim 43, wherein the insertion section of one or more of the channelsis deformable such that an additional space may be created between disksperpendicularly placed in channels, and wherein top surfaces of thedisks can be viewed in the additional space.
 48. (canceled)
 49. The diskholder of claim 43, further comprising an additional space between disksperpendicularly placed in one or more of the channels, wherein topsurfaces of the disks can be viewed in the additional space. 50.(canceled)